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Just Ask JohnOver the years, we have been asked a variety of questions regarding the shooting sports - everything from questions on laws to proper shot selection for duck hunting. In this column, we will answer the more commonly asked questions and any others that you may have concerning shooting sports.
Jan 25, 2010
Q. I have a Win. Mod 1903 22 automatic rim fire rifle. Do you have any idea where I can find ammunition for this rifle? Any ideas on why they made a 22 cal auto?
Jim Smiseth
A. I would check Old Western Scrounger for ammo. They are located on the web.
The original idea behind the ".22 Winchester Auto" was to use a 45 grain inside a lubricated bullet to keep the action cleaner and function better. As it turns out the regular .22LR works well in a semi-auto type action and the "Auto" version was eventually dropped. Thanks for your question...john "K"
Q: I want to get into reloading for the .223 and .22-250. I don't need to load a ton of ammo, but mainly these two calibers. What do you recommend for a good starter kit?
Jim in KS
A: Take a look at the RCBS Rockchucker Supreme kit. It gives you all the basics and then some for $299.95. All you will need is dies, bullets, primers, powder and of course your empties.
The kit comes with a Rockchucker reloading press which is a great machine with plenty of strength for years of loading and you can do everything from .25ACP up to .460 Weatherby. You get a scale, reloading manual, powder thrower, chamfering tool etc. It really is a great way to start out.
Now a single stage press is not as fast as a progressive, but it makes very precise ammo, as good as any factory stuff you can buy off the shelf. If you are not in a hurry or need more than five or ten boxes a week, this should fill the bill. By reloading yourself you can tailor the rounds to your particular firearm. I load most of my rifle calibers on the same machine and only when I have a need of a high volume of ammo (such as a trip out west for some prairie dog hunting) do I go to a progressive machine like the Dillon.
If you live in the area we also offer reloading classes free to the public. Just check our web site for a list of times.
Thanks for your question and good shooting...john "K"
Q: I saw the new Benjamin Marauder on the web. Do you know anything about it?
A: As a matter of fact I do!
I picked one up a few months ago and have been playing with it ever since.
It is a pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) gun and you can fill it with either a scuba tank and adapter, or you can get a hand pump.
The gun will also run off CO2 if you wish and some shooters are getting the CO2 canisters that they use for paint ball and filling the guns with that.
I have a scuba tank and run my gun at about 2700 psi. I get about 30 shots per fill. The gun features a 10 shot rotary magazine and is "factory suppressed". This means that it basically has a built in suppressor and it is VERY quiet. You can get it in either .177 or .22 cal. I have a .22, and for field use, I would recommend it over the .177 as the pellets are much better in the wind.
Velocities can range from 600fps - 1000fps, depending on how you set up the gun. The power is adjustable, but remember, the higher the settings, the lower the number of shots between fills. I am shooting pellets of 14.3 grains at about 850 fps. and it seems to work out fine for everything from pigeons to porcupines. I have made a number of shots from 50-80 yards with the proper hold over.
Crosman really has done a fine job in jumping into the PCP market and this gun is a winner.
Q: I was looking at a new scope and the salesman (not at your store) showed me one that had an "Adjustable Objective", but could not tell me what it was for. Any ideas?
A: The "Adjustable Objective" lens feature you saw on that scope was a device used to make a scope optically correct at a given distance. It does this by dialing away parallax. You may have noticed a series of numbers printed around the circumference of the front bell (objective lens) of some rifle scopes. These numbers correspond to distance (in yards) to the target. Many people think this has to do with bullet drop, but that is something else.
A scope can only be parallax correct for one distance at a time. Most rifle scope manufacturers set the parallax for 100 yards on their standard hunting scopes. Some of the shotgun and rim-fire models will be set for 75 yards due to the shorter ranges these guns are shot at.
It would be easier to demonstrate parallax than to tell you about it. If you get a chance to look through a scope that has an adjustable objective, set the scope at about six power, and lay it on a bench. Now if you look through the scope and put the crosshairs on an object at say 30 yards and move your head, without touching the scope, the crosshairs will move relative to the target. This is parallax. It is the way your eye aligns the crosshairs in relation to the target. This can have an effect on where your bullet will go, especially at longer ranges, and with scopes of over eight power. The same can be said at very short distances, and this is why you will often see adjustable objectives on air-gun scopes.
Now if you are still looking through the scope and can set the adjustable objective for the distance you are looking at (30 yards), and now move your head around, you will see the crosshairs are stationary. Thus the scope is optically correct for that distance. If you plan on using the scope for long range shooting at small targets, the adjustable objective is a definite advantage.
If you are like a lot of us and use a low power variable for deer hunting here in Maine, then it won't matter much. Even two inches of parallax at two hundred yards won't mean much to a deer, but if you are a varmint hunter, then two inches could cause you to miss a crow at that same distance. If you plan on doing any bench-rest shooting, then the adjustable parallax is a must. By the way, not all scopes adjust from the objective lens. Some have a knob on the left side of the scope opposite the left and right adjustment knob that does the same thing.
Q: I want to get a gun for my wife for home protection and I was looking at a Beretta Mdl 92 9mm auto. What do you think?
A: I guess I would want to know a little more about how your wife plans to use the gun, how she will store it, and how often she plans on shooting for practice. Another consideration is if she plans on carrying it as well.
For strictly "home defense" my first choice would be a shotgun. If you have to use one gun in defense of your home, a shotgun would be hard to beat. They are far easier to hit with than a handgun, have a more intimidating appearance, and with the right loads are far more effective. Shotguns also present less danger to unintended targets as #2 or #4 birdshot will not penetrate multiple layers of wallboard.
Most concerned husbands choose a gun that they would like to have. If a handgun is the only option, then I would recommend a revolver. It is far simpler to use in a stressful situation. The Beretta is a fine pistol, but has too many "controls" to use, unless you shoot on a regular basis. Plus, the grip is rather large, due to the double stack magazine.
My suggestion is for you to bring your wife into the store and look at some different models. See which fit her hand and she is comfortable with. We also have a young lady on our shooting sports staff that is extremely knowledgable, and shoots a handgun herself. She can give a different "perspective" without adding any pressure.
Q: How much of a difference does it make in a gun with an 85% condition as opposed to one with 95% condition, as far as the life of the firearm goes?
A: The term "Condition" when referring to a firearm means different things to different people. I don't know how many times people have told me their gun was "Mint", only to find out that their interpretation and my understanding of the term "Mint", were quite different. To establish a retail value on a particular firearm, you need to be able to place it in perspective to other guns of similar condition. Hence, most dealers will establish how close to new condition the firearm is, with 100% being a new gun.
When you are dealing with a collectable firearm such as a Parker shotgun, small differences in condition can mean great differences in value. Take for instance a Parker 20ga. V-grade double-barreled shotgun. A gun in 98% condition could be worth double what one in 95% would be worth, just due to the 3% better condition. Now this is not always the case. A lot depends on the collectability of the firearm. When you are dealing with average firearms for hunting, a good quality gun in 85% condition should last a lifetime if taken care of. Value would be not quite as high as one in 95% condition. The 10% reduction in condition would probably be due to some minor bluing wear on the metal surfaces, and a few scratches and dings in the stock. These are items that would not affect the overall performance of the firearm.
On a last note you want to remember that an evaluation on a guns condition is very subjective. What I might call 90% someone else might call 80% etc. That's what makes this business so interesting.
Q: I have squirrels in my bird feeders and a pesky woodchuck that decimated my garden. I live in a fairly rural setting but I don't want my neighbors complaining about gunshots. I can safely shoot, but the noise is a problem. Do you have any suggestions?
A: I get about a hundred questions a year dealing with that same problem.Many of our customers are often bothered by squirrels in the bird feeders, or a pesky woodchuck in the garden. Oftentimes they live in an area where the discharge of firearms is not permitted. In that instance,we usually recommend the use of an air gun. There are several models that are suitable for taking small game.
Since you stated you live in a fairly rural area, and can safely shoot, let me tell you about some specialized ammunition that might be of help to you.
For squirrel size animals and even up to raccoons, CCI makes a cartridge called a .22CB long. The cartridge utilizes a long rifle case with the head of a short. Muzzle velocity is about 700 fps. and it has enough power to "get the job done",but noise is all but nonexistent. The cartridge has an effective range of about 25 yards and makes more noise when it hits the "critter" than it does coming out the muzzle of the rifle.
The CB was designed for indoor shooting many years ago, but we probably sell more boxes of them for backyard pests than for any other reason.
Another interesting round that is relatively new is the .22 Colibri.These are manufactured by Aguila in Mexico and feature a 20-grain bullet with only a priming mixture for a propellant. The velocity is about 375 fps.
Intended for short- range indoor target shooting, they can be used for pest control, although not as powerful as the CB rounds. As quiet as the CB is, the Colibri is even quieter.
Although both of the above mentioned rounds are extremely quiet and highly specialized, they will not function a semi-automatic firearm. For that you would have to go to one of the sub-sonic rounds such as the Remington .22 long rifle subsonic hollow point. These have all the advantages of a regular .22 long rifle cartridge, but because the bullet travels below the speed of sound, you don't get a ballistic "crack" when they are fired. They are not quite as quiet as the CB; they are quieter that the regular .22 long rifle high velocity hollowpoint.
Dear John,
Q: I am confused about all the chokes out there. What is the progression from most open choke to the tightest? And what is with this Skeet 1 and Skeet 2?
Thanks....Jim, Kansas City, KS
Dear Jim,
A: I was just discussing this with a good friend the other day, and as an accomplished shooter as he is, even he was a bit confused about where the different chokes fall. I will list them from the most open to the tightest.
- Cylinder Bore: This is a straight tube with no constriction at all. It would be the same as if you cut a barrel back four or five inches and removed all the choke in it, leaving just a straight tube.
- Skeet 1: This has a .005" constriction and tightens the pattern just a little. It is great for skeet shooting or any type of shooting where the shots are 25 yards or less.
- Improved Cylinder: This is tighter than Skeet 1 with about .010" constriction. Great for shots under thirty yards or so or if you want to shoot Foster type slugs in your bird gun.
- Skeet 2: This has about .015" constriction and is actually a "light modified". Great for ducks over decoys and some pass shooting under certain conditions. It makes a nice early season pheasant choke for the second shot. Good for almost 35 yards.
- Modified: This was the most common choke a few years ago. It usually represents about a .020" constriction. All the guns either came with a full or modified choke. It is midway between the tight and open. (Kind of like ordering a medium instead of a large or small, if you will.) Good out to 35 yards.
- Improved Modified: This is a little tighter than modified but not as tight as full. Usually about .025" constriction. Popular with some trap shooters and a good choice for late season pheasants.
- Full: This is the standard long-range choke. Usually a .040" constriction. Good for 40 yards or more and was the most popular choke for trap shooting, and years ago, for pass shooting at ducks when we used to shoot lead.
- Extra Full or Super Full Turkey Choke: These are the tightest chokes used when you want to put a full pattern on a turkey's head. These will run .045" constriction or tighter depending on the maker. It is too tight for most standard applications but for turkey hunting, it is an excellent choice with the right shot.
Now, the choke will govern how your gun will pattern, but not all chokes are alike. Nor are all guns. This is why you should pattern your shotgun with the load and at the distance you plan on using it. More on that at another time. Thanks for your question, and I hope this clears things up...good hunting ....John "K"
Hi John,
Q: I was wondering what you could use the 22 LR shotshells in?
-Patrick
Hi Patrick,
A: You can shoot .22 shotshells in any 22 LR rifle or pistol. They will not give a good pattern much past 15' in a rifled barrel, and they will not cycle a semi-automatic firearm. If you can find a smoothbore 22 LR such as an old Remington 121 Rutledge bore or Mossberg Targo, you can get some fairly good patterns out to 40' or so. I have shot plenty of rats, starlings, and pigeons in barns with .22 shotshells in a smoothbore rifle. The good thing about them is that they won't punch through the roof of a barn at 20'. They have enough pattern to kill starlings, mice, rats, and other vermin at short distances. When you shoot them through a rifled bore, the pattern is ruined by the rifling. It spreads too quickly for all but a real short shot. Thanks for your question...John "K"
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